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JAPAN / Politics
May 30, 2023

LDP looks to repair Komeito ties with electoral olive branch

While still at loggerheads over the candidate for Tokyo’s 28th district, the LDP no longer intends to field contenders in Saitama’s 14th district and Aichi’s 16th in a possible snap poll.
JAPAN
May 5, 2023

Kishida seeks to 'add momentum' to Seoul ties as regular diplomacy resumes

The prime minister has expressed his desire for Japan to show that it is also invested in the neighbors’ rapprochement, with the trip to South Korea expected to highlight that resolve.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 23, 2023

In policy speech, Kishida puts focus on child care and defense

Implementing all of the policies mentioned in the speech — from child care and defense spending to wage hikes — will be tough if Kishida lacks a stable political base.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2023

Prime Minister Kishida’s 2023 survival strategy

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has a tough road ahead, but he is politically savvy and has been adept at making the moves necessary to remain in office so far.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Dec 1, 2020

Putting economy first, Suga hesitant to rein in Go To Travel program

The prime minister seems to hold the view that any cure involving a loss of economic momentum would be worse than the disease.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 7, 2019

Abe vows level playing field for students taking English tests for Japan university entrance

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday the government will consider measures to address inequalities in opportunities for students taking private-sector English tests under a planned unified university entrance examination system.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 28, 2016

Abe's risky game with Russia

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going to great lengths to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough with Russia — perhaps too great.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 14, 2016

Tokyo governor, facing no-confidence vote, likely to resign

Embattled Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe is likely to be forced to step down after the ruling coalition in the metropolitan assembly threatened to submit a no-confidence motion against him on Wednesday.
EDITORIALS
May 18, 2016

Economic growth remains fragile

The nation's economy has escaped a back-to-back quarterly decline, as shown by the preliminary data for the January-March period — which has been closely watched as a possible clue to whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will go ahead with the consumption tax hike in April 2017 as planned. Abe's assessment...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 26, 2015

Potential future Japan leader Koizumi Jr. needs to sell TPP to fuming farmers

Diet member Shinjiro Koizumi faced a dilemma when a group of farmers angry over the government's trade policy and aware of his dislike of tomatoes handed him a bag of them to try.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 7, 2014

Hashimoto submits resignation to assembly

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto formally submitted his resignation Friday to the head of the municipal assembly, setting the stage for a snap election in mid or late March.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2012

Noda to tweak Cabinet to win tax hike votes

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Sunday he will reshuffle his Cabinet in a bid to win opposition support for his administration's unpopular tax hike bill.
EDITORIALS
Jan 30, 2011

Confrontation continues

Question-and-answer sessions have started in the Diet as Japan faces such serious problems as economic stagnation, deteriorating state finances and worries about the social welfare system's sustainability. But the mood of Diet is no closer to holding meaningful discussions. Opposition parties, especially...
EDITORIALS
Apr 10, 2009

Wanted: campaign platforms

The focus of Japanese politics is shifting to the question of when Prime Minister Taro Aso will dissolve the Lower House for a snap election. The Lower House members can retain their seats for slightly more than five months at most because their term expires Sept. 10. In addition, Mr. Aso, whose government...
JAPAN
Oct 11, 2008

Lower House opens debate on MSDF bill

The Lower House on Friday began deliberating the government's special antiterrorism bill for extending the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean.
JAPAN
May 1, 2008

Gas tax bill is rammed through Diet

If you forgot to fill up your gas tank last night, you're out of luck.
JAPAN
Jul 14, 2005

Koizumi confident as postal bills hit last stage

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday he is confident his contentious package of postal privatization bills won't be rejected by the House of Councilors and there will be no need to dissolve the House of Representatives.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 26, 2023

Government unveils policy outline featuring child care steps but no details on funding

The outline made no mention of how to fund such spending — a sticking point before a snap poll Kishida may call in the coming months.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 10, 2023

How Fumio Kishida was able to get his groove back

A successful Group of Seven summit could solidify Fumio Kishida’s position and even open a path to becoming one of the country’s longest-serving prime ministers.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 20, 2023

At CDP convention, clarity on opposition cooperation in short supply

The opposition party's plan for this year lacks a significant blueprint or concrete signals on how it will build long-term partnerships with other parties.
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2023

CDP questions Kishida on defense spending, nuclear power and child care

Calling for a snap election, the CDP's Kenta Izumi blasted the prime minister for pursuing a tax hike for defense spending without parliamentary discussion.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
May 19, 2019

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz seeks to rule alone after video exposes apparent corruption by coalition partner

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for snap elections after his junior coalition partner stumbled over a video showing its leader promising government contracts in return for campaign funding.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 28, 2015

Japan-South Korea relations remain hostage to history

Japan and South Korea face a stark choice: to find ways to settle their disputes over history or stay locked in a frozen political relationship that plays into China's hands.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2015

Southern All Stars take swipe at Abe

Shinzo Abe appeared to be in a good mood at Yokohama Arena on the night of Dec. 28. Dressed in a casual gray sweater and black trousers, the 60-year-old prime minister and his wife, Akie, were taking in a performance by the Southern All Stars, a legendary pop rock band led by vocalist Keisuke Kuwata....
Reader Mail
Oct 4, 2012

Nothing snappy about next poll

Why does The Japan Times use the words "snap election" when referring to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's plans?
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 22, 2009

Be it booze or cheese, LDP loves to court controversy

Was he or wasn't he? That is the question the media wrestled with last week when discussing former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa's behavior at the Valentine's Day news conference held during the Group of Seven meeting in Rome. By this point everyone seems convinced he was drunk, but the relationship...
JAPAN
Oct 24, 2008

Opposition now to drag feet on MSDF bill

In an apparent change of tactics, three opposition parties agreed Thursday to allow for more time to deliberate on the antiterrorism bill in the Upper House as they draft their own response to the global financial turmoil.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 25, 2008

Aso policies seen as short-term fix

Prime Minister Taro Aso's choices for finance and economic ministers failed to impress economists Wednesday, who said they are not likely to take bold measures to shore up an economy threatened by the global economic downturn.

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